Canadiens-Rangers in review

Maybe it was a bit surprising that the Rangers were so comfortable going up and down the ice with the speedy Canadiens early on, but then again, maybe that got them away from their grinding game a bit. Because, except for Sean Avery’s line, there wasn’t the usual dose of forecheck.

And I must say, I was surprised the way the Canadiens played in their own zone, in the imaginary rectangle in front of the net, getting sticks and skates on passes and shots. Very surprised.

Thoughts:

1) There are three reasons to worry just a little bit:

a) The goals are not coming, not from Gaborik, and not very much from anybody, really. We probably expected them to struggle scoring more than they did the first half. Maybe now we don’t expect them to struggle any more. But they are struggling at the moment.

b) The power play is really bad again. It only had two chances — the first was embarrasingly bad, the second ended in eight seconds because Marc Staal was forced to take a penalty.

c) Faceoffs were only 26-22 in favor of Montreal. But the Rangers lose too many. Too many. And for a team that needs possession, that’s not good. And I don’t know if it’s fixable.

2) I don’t blame Brandon (Monster) Dubinsky for being upset with P.K. Slewfoot. I’d be more upset with the officials. I understand that the NHL wants to take away all the little hold/grab/hook garbage. But you can’t call that ticky-tack penalty on Dan Girardi and not call that obvious, blatant, dirty slew foot five feet away from the referee who was looking right at it.

3) Henrik Lundqvist (and his scoring streak) was good again. But … there was the NHL-nightly, obligatory bad-angle goal against a goaltender leaving his post to needlessly go to his knees. Epidemic.

4) Was anybody else surprised when Wojtek Wolski started spitting out those Canadian-accented “aboots” between periods? He did some good things, some very good things, showed some real skill and nose for the net. But I also thought he was slow on a line change on the tying goal.

5) Brian Leetch is just so much better in studio than … well, let’s leave it at that.

6) Ryan McDonagh has looked pretty good after a nervous first NHL game.

7) Last night, and for all of this season, we don’t say or hear enough how solid and dependable a player Ruslan Fedotenko is, and has been, for this team.

p.s. saw this on espn today about the Devils:
By far the worst team in the NHL, the Devils featured a league-worst minus-55 goal differential at the time of this writing and were poised to produce one of the lowest point totals in franchise history. The worst part is there are few signs things will improve any time soon. Why would Zach Parise ever sign a long-term extension here? And if the soon-to-be restricted free agent won’t sign, president and GM Lou Lamoriello is faced with having to trade the franchise’s most important asset. Netminder Martin Brodeur is a shadow of his former self, and there is precious little help on the way via prospects. In short, the ugliness is just beginning for this once-proud franchise

Carp, is Gaborik hurt or is he just proving that he’s nothing more than a “star” player and not a “superstar”. He’s not a good puck handler (which we knew), doesn’t really have any moves, and doesn’t hold pucks in the corner. However he’s got an amazing shot and when guys set him up, he can score at will.

I’m thinking once Christensen or Prospal comes back, he’ll get going, but he can’t create his own scoring chances because that’s not his game.

I don’t believe that we are getting Iginla. I am just posting a tweet from a fairly reliable guy. I get the idea that he is connected with a sports agent. He knows too much about trades and signings in all sports to be a fluke. He has some kinda connection. Unlike a guy who knows a specific connection in a specific sport.

If we got Iginla wouldnt we bit a bit overloaded with RW? and i’m sure CGY are expecting a lot in return, picks, prospects and probably a roster player too. Sounds a bridge too far for us. I like the Slats rumour though and i’m presuming Messier would take over given the recent success of Stevie Y as a GM and Messier having some experience with Canada.

Very sharp, Carp, as always. You’re right, the clue was that they realized they could skate up and down with the Habs, pass and create chances. They scored a pretty goal using the set play ( gorgeous pass!) and figured- bring on Vancouver! The Habs ( I’ve been always a big fan of their coach) adjusted well. They put their working hats on and outplayed the Rangers for long stretches. The atrocious PP didn’t help. The Habs are very good in their zone, no wonder their GAA is that low.

The fourth line was our best line on the ice last night, except Drury is slowing them down.

Bad goal, no question about it. Hank knows..

WW sure has good offensive skills, he should be left with Gaborik for some time. Let’s see what they can do together. I didn’t notice that slow change Carp mentioned, but that’s why Carp does what he does best and I….well, stay home sick.

Disagree on one thing- no, Carp, they don’t miss Roszival, not yet. And yes, I can read the sarcasm :-)
In fact, I think the defense is looking pretty good. McD seems ready and I think they should strongly consider resigning Eminger as an UFA, providing his asking price is reasonable. Too bad, Slats doesn’t do it before the season ends.

Which brings me to the important part- no “knee jerks”, please! Don’t start looking for trades because of one loss. Stay with it!

What’s concerning me the most, as stated in the post, is the lack of scoring. I can’t quite put my finger on my Gaborik isn’t finding the net but I’ll throw a few things out there.

1- Is he 100%? Is he ever 100%? How much does this guy’s health limit his effectiveness?

2- He’s taking a LOT longer to tee up his shots. he gets the puck, thinks about it and then shoots. Everyone talks about his QUICK RELEASE but it’s not every advantageous if he thinks about the release for a minute before he gets the shot off.

3- It seems like people are forcing the puck to him… unnecessarily. This is causing a lot of turnovers.

I dunno what else. Is his confidence just down? Is he putting too much pressure on himself? This guy is too good to be playing like a chump.

i mean playing on the top line getting tons of minutes and pp time and still he only has 11 goals. now i know we cant rely just on him, but boyle has come back to earth, callys out, arty scores one every ten games, prospal is out, stepan is a rookie, duby is the best player on teh team now and if he is our best player we are screwed. gabby should not be put with wolski. wolski doesnt score. rozy has almsot as many goals as wolski for gods sake. then who? prust? no he dont score. feds? he has 8. drury has as many points and as many GOALS as hank!! we need gabby to wake up soon!!! whale his ass glen!!

I am not advocating trading anyone. I am just relaying the tweet I saw today. This isn’t Eklund we are talking about. The guy has some credibility with predicting personel moves in all sports. I think the Rangers should stay the course, and as much as I keep saying Brad Richards WILL be a Ranger, I am not 100% on board with signing big UFA’s.

I think Gabby’s problem a lot of the time is his linemates defer to him too often and pass when they should shoot. I noticed a few times where players forced the pass to an out of position or tightly defended Gabby instead of taking the shot themselves or cycling again, or coming back to a d-man at the blue line – its Jagrism all over again – the hesitation from Gaby is natural if your team-mate has a better option. Its not always a bad thing because it stems from his team-mates trying to get him going and get him chances to score but sometimes its better to throw it on net and let the guy beat his defender to the loose puck.

Gabby is clearly suffering from a lack of confidence – he’s mishandling the puck and not getting his shots off quickly – the latter always happens when a goal scorer’s in a slump – rather than swiftly release the puck, confident it will find it’s mark, the player often either hesitates and a 1/2 second’s hesitation – due to overthinking (or second guessing is another way of putting it) – is enough to result in lost opportunity (puck ends up on the end of his stick rather than in the sweet spot and/or goalie closes off the hole and/or defenseman closes off the open seam, etc) OR the player rushes the shot and either fires high/wide or right at the goalie’s mid-section.

The former (mishandling) we keep seeing and 2 more obvious instances occurred yesterday where Gabbie actually lost control of the puck (but in both cases managed to regain it) as he stickhandled. IMO, in both of these cases, he was overthinking – looking to create a chance when there wasn’t an immediate one there.

So what’s the answer? Tough to say – we aren’t talking about a 1st or 2nd year pro here. This is an accomplished vet with an impressive resume (injuries aside). In addition, he’s too young to starting blaming the inevitable impact of aging as the problem. I’ll bet this is the first time in his professional career he’s faced this problem. For sure, he’s had slumps before, but this one is lengthy – basically most of the season for him.

He’s got to get through it himself. Of course, it would help if he had a puck distributing center to play with (which one might argue Vinnie Prospal is, albeit a poor man’s version), but it is what it is.

I saw some potential positive chemistry last night between him and WW, but it’s way too early to predict what might develop. However, unless the bottom falls out, I think Tortorella would be wise to let these 2 play together for a number of games before abandoning the experiment. I thought WW showed more skill last night than almost any forward has shown all season long for the Rangers – again too early to draw definitive conclusions, of course.

This team can’t finish. How many pucks were just sitting there in front of the net waiting for someone to put it in?

Before the game, I told my brother that we should match up well with the Canadiens because of our grinding style. They were too small to really fight off our forecheck. Carp hit it right on the head: no forecheck= no victory.

I agree that Gabby’s linemates are trying to give the puck to him when they are in better position to take the shot, or pass it off to someone else. I don’t know anything about Gaborik’s health but he is playing like a wounded duck. I think he’s reached the point of getting mental help. He doesn’t get a lot of room at the best of times, but he seems to be overthinking everything and just plain pushing it to hard, instead of just playing his game and letting things happen. He has to be really frustrated at this point.

Now that we freed up some cap space I think it’s imperative that we get someone who can either play WITH Gaborik or take the pressure off OF Gaborik. One or the other. either we get another sniper or we get someone to compliment Gabby. No more of these re-treads either, like Frolov. Projects. I’m tired of Sather’s PROJECTS. Guys that ae on the decline elsewhere that he gets cheap and expects Torts to make miracles out of. How about getting a real deal player?

Doodie – almost every time we’ve lost this season is because we can’t get our forecheck going – its either the stock excuse or teams are studying how to avoid or nullify our forecheck and using it against us. I’d have to watch the game a couple more times and compare MTL against another team to say which was the case.

Either way we’re exceeding expectations so far this year, even without much of a contribution from our star forward and a few injuries – this coupled with the Devil’s sewer-dwelling makes for a good season so far.

Last year for Sather as GM? He will still be President and ruining the Rangers.

No deal. FIRE SATHER!

Maybe Gaborik has caught the Blue Flu- where he realizes that the Ranger paychecks keep on coming no matter how well you play, like Messier, Lindros, Holik, Gomez, Brashear, Redden, Kovalev, etc. etc. before him.

Probably got it from Typhoid Drury. Dru’s a carrier but he won’t let it ruin his holidays…

I think the Rangers were just suffering a little Post-Rozsivus (new holiday to be celebrated every Jan 10th) blues last night. They controlled most of the play but it just got away from them a little. I think not putting another goal or two in early when they were swarming and buzzing took something out of their game last night.

It happens, tomorrow’s another game. Hope to see you guys tonight on Blueshirt Banter Radio at 8 PM.

One game lose does not mean the sky is falling. And Gabby is clearly still limited by two things: Frist, the shoulder is not fully healed, that is why he is loosing pucks or hesitating on shots. Second, he needs someone on his line that the defensemen will look at and say that this is a goal scorer, someone who can shoot. That creates the chances because now you create potential two on ones and frees up either shooter. WW for his first game looked ok, had some chances (why cant players today lift the puck?) and was ok – not great – just ok for his first outing.

Defense looked ok to me – it was lack of puck possession and lack of forecheck – that was a real detriment. Anyone who thinks that this team does not miss Ryan Callahan is mistaken – that kid is the heart of this team’s forechecking ability. Without him in the equation, it diminishes quickly.

Trades should at some point consider, and I have said it all along, Avery. He is playing well and skating hard. But I still am not convinced that he is the right fit with this style of play on this team – and he is still not getting the ice time that he deserves – I am not sure why Torts constantly moves him all over the place – he should be given the chance to make or break his role on this team by playing solid minutes of hockey.

Is there a good power play coach out there somewhere? Money is no object, it doesn’t even go against the Cap. Someone smart enough to take Stepan off the point? Jeez Louise, it’s become two minutes of the Rangers skating around, wondering where their 5th guy went… punctured by an occasional breakaway by the other team. The Rangers PP special teams need their own handicap parking spot.

Good morning all! Home today because of all the snow. Missed the game last night because it got blocked out here in Albany because of the Sabres game. What is up with that anyway?? I guess from what I read, I didn’t miss much. Tomorrow is another day, so LGR!!

ilb-I was reading all the comments from yesterday and saw how you were talking about golubtsy! My grandmother was Polish, so I grew up eating them. They are my absolute favorite! I may have to make some now! ( :

“BREAKING NEWS Sources have confirmed within the Rangers front office that this will be Glen Sather’s last year as Rangers GM ” .
Too bad – we will not see here Olga and his pathetic family with confusional, schizo-affective psychosis. There is nothing else he can talk about. Poor thing…

4ever- I think you’re being a bit too harsh on Olga….His “Fire Sather” is as much an inside joke on RR as “26 yr old” is. I also find him funny and with a good sense of humor. Tough to find these days.

ilb,
LOL, I’m old and bold, but still can separate humorous traditions, paradox jokes, from monotone repetitiveness and excessive obsession – clear signs of mental unhealth. You, if a good diagnostic, should easily see it. As I say – poor thing.

Hey Boneheads
So my first game didn’t end with the result I was looking for, but my last night in New York proved awesome: drinking in Avery’s bar (not WITH Avery, but still, he was there) walking in heavy snow and bar hopping to the wee hours. Madison Square Garden is cool – met some lovely fellow fans and am impressed with the genoristy and hospitality shown to me in NY (shout outs to AckP and BlogMama!)
Hoping to get out if the snow allows today but just felt compelled to say thanks!

Hey Kiwi: Sent you an e-mail lunch time yesterday. I just wanted to see if you got tickets to the game last night. I ended up selling mine late in the afternoon but I was offering them up to you for free if you didn’t end up getting tickets. Glad you enjoyed your time in NYC.

If the old fool can somehow figure a way of dumping Drury and fleece the team in doing so I would be a happy ranger fan. Things would be looking good. The only problem I have is when that happens I will be nervous because the old fool will have money to play with and with his track record of contracts it could be disastrous.

I wholeheartedly agree with Carp for #7) about Fedotenko. I did mention in posts before that I believe he is unsung hero this season – universal, smart workhorse, whose name mentioned more often than anyone else on team every game by play by play commentators.
IMO, he is one of the most useful parts of this team machine in every aspect of game with impeccable work ethic. Besides, what I learn about him – the most “Americanized” Russian player in NHL, with very likeable locker-room personality and who really (not just for interviewers) enjoys and excited being a Ranger. Like him very much – one of the best pre-season moves, IMHO.

Speaking of Polish… how much more dumb, annoying and straight up awkward can Al “the schmuck” Trautwig get?

WoLtek (as Al called him last night during the interview) explained that he was born in Poland, then moved to Germany and then to Canada where he grew up… then Al asks the most annoying, stupid and obvious question an American can EVER ask a person who was born anywhere outside of USA “So, what do you consider yourself?” I don’t know Al, a Jamaican maybe? I mean, maybe for some of you it’s hard to understand but for me, after i explain where i was born and then where i grew up, asking that question always makes me kind of angry. i don’t know…maybe it’s just me.

is this something new? on line psychoanalysis? and its FREE?!?! wow, it seems you dont even need a degree anymore. where do i sign up? wait, i dont know if i want to be analyzed or be the analyzer…. oh the dilemma.
because as everyone knows. whatever you type and post is exactly the way you think and feel…. online aquaintances get a bit to comfortable in believing that they actually KNOW someone.

Cheers Tiki! Had a blast will certainly be coming back.
Was funny – Avery had some other players with him and (it was dark) we were trying to figure out who would be having a drink with him (being the most loved player – not) and we figured it must have been Gomez.

A Polish friend of mine used to call them Ga wumpki’s……….never explained what they were, just that he loved them. ??? ( He also taught me Otsoya moya dupah…which I later found out he meant it to mean Baisez mon Derriere. ? I’ll never tell.

Went down to ice level to watch the warmups and there was a dude and his daughter – she apparently was a Rangers fan but also a Gomez fan – had a sign saying “NY misses you”, Gomez flips a puck over the boards for her. Then a trainer/coach type guy comes up and gives her another “from Scott”.

Olga,
my confused, inadequate girl. Are you talking to a sound-proof white door in your psychiatric facility? As I said, poor thing. Next, they will ban you privilege to use computer – bad influence on other girls.
Would you be pleasantly surprised to know that behind “analyses” is someone professional, who actually enjoys such a rare pure case?

Hey TomG – Drury’s cap hit for next season is $7,050,000, but his salary is only $5 million. Maybe a bunch of teams with expected cap room, but some $$$ budget restraints… Might start bidding for Drury? He does have quite an impressive track record outside of NY, especially the role he played on Team USA in the Olympics.

Yo Boxcar-Hospotar – If Avery took a regular shift every night, I don’t think he would have much left for the playoffs? Which is when we really need him!

Yes, ilb and CCCP, I have some Polish blood! I’m actually Polish, Italian and Irish, but Polish food is my favorite! I could eat it everyday. We call them golumpkis, but they’re great no matter what they’re called! It’s Polish night tomorrow at a place down the street from us. I’m definitely going to have to go and get me some golumpkis for sure now!

…Yeah, it is so much better to be drunk than brainless. Drunk always comes sober, but stupid stays like that forever…that’s a difference. You can’t buy smartness in bodega or liquor store.
Love and Peace, Olga. You really need total tranquility, I know. Imbalance produce flood of Folkies…scary. Love you, girl and promise not to bother you again for the sake of others. OK?

So, if someone is looking for a worthwhile charity, this one needs your support. The disease kills estimated 1 million people per year, most of them are kids below 5 years of age. In Africa, one child dies every 45 sec from malaria. The Charity Navigator website doesn’t list them, but I did look at their IRS return forms sometime ago (2007, 2008, 2009 returns). They operate well:

Ilb and Julie
I’m of Ukrainian descent and grew up loving the golumpki that my grandmother and mother would make. Now my puerto Rican wife has learned to make them as well as one of my daughters, so that at least once or twice a year I get a pot ful to eat. I also love pierokapusta stew, which is a food of the gods.

By the way, if you watche Penguins Caps 27/7 on HBO, you saw Ovechkin wolfing down a plate of his Mothers golumpki. Made my mouth water.

From Puck Daddy, thought you’d all appreciate the Seinfeld reference…haha!

Phoenix Coyotes: Wojtek Wolski(notes), LW. Gone but not forgotten is Wolski, who signed a 2-year, $7.6 million deal last summer. He managed six goals in 36 games, seeing his ice team shrink faster than George Costanza outside the pool in the Hamptons.

Quickly here before I go back to work…HELL SCREW IT (i’m having an orr moment)……trade gabby to calgary for iggy and get richards at some point then all the rumour stuff will be done.

I think torts should go all reverse psychology on everyone. Put gabby on the line with drury and weise and put all the other offencive players on other lines together so the do not defer to gabby any more until some of them get going!

speaking of torts, I have said he should get adams consideration, but he is still too damn stubborn in some ways when it comes to players especially a big guy in front of the net (boyle) on the PP, using prust, boyle, and avery or other net crashers on the PP …eminger on the point, and using avery in general a bit more.

Tony, I used to work with a guy who lived/worked in San Fran. He moved there from Boston after one particularly bad winter. He told me “winters are optional” and I have never been the same since. Alas! I hate winter!

Nasty 1 – Looks real to me. I wish they put the retired numbers on the outside of the jersey so everyone could see them. That would be much cooler. Maybe around the collar or just where they are flipped around.

I only know what it sounded like. And he and his grandparents who lived at his home did speak Polish,
( they lived in Chicago, and his brother was an under taker.)

He was one hell of a funny guy. he always claimed that when he got out of the Corps he was gonna go ” into the rackets”. His parent were very fine people, but all that Polish lingo swirling around me,I had to tune out. Just picked up on a couple of things. This guy once when we had liberty and were in town, he found out that a dance was being held at one of the auditoriums. They had a young guy taking tickets at the door. So this guy brings a few of us there, and he was wearing a green turtle neck sweater, and had bright red suspenders. He also had a Havana in his puss, and he let his red mustache grow out and had it curled around his lip, and he always called himself “The Boss”. So we just renamed him to
Boss ….ski. So we were broke and would not be able to get in to the dance, but he just motioned us to follow him. We all walked up to the guy at the door, and ” Boss just ignored him and walked past. The doorman said ‘where’s your tickets. Boss took out his cigar and pointed to his chest and said, “The Boss”……then he pointed at us and said “The Boys”, then he nodded us to follow him in which we did and left the guy at the door not knowing what the hey to do. We had a helluva good time that night with lots of folks buying us drinks, and the girls were intrigued by our motley crew. Ahh the younger days…he’s gone now. Heavy smoker and came to our 50th reunion, but was wheelchair bound with emphesema. Got a card from his wife about a year or so ago saying that he’d passed in his sleep.

power play was awful, it is time to bring back MDZ . he and Gilroy should run it, and never leave the ice during it. I am not a Drury basher, but last night watching him I did not feel anger toward him, but sadness for him. his game has vanished completely.

People from Oklahoma to Arkansas reported seeing a ball of fire streak across the sky. Apparently it was a meteor containing copper because of the green tint it had, but no one has actually found the meteor yet.

I don’t feel sadness for any high paid vet player. they profess to care about the franchise, but then they screw it any chance they get. case in point, Sundin. He said he wanted to stay in Toronto and how much he supposedly cared about that franchise, pretending he wanted to retire there. Then, after he refused to waive his clause so they could trade him for good young talent or draft picks, he comes back and signs in vancouver for the money. he could have helped the leafs and got the same result going to Vanc, but he was a prick about it. and I am not talking about helping the owners. I am talking about the fans, they are ones who benefit from an influx of youth, just like here.

I guess we don’t read each others’ posts.
I said Tort’s was Adams material 3 weeks ago.
McIlrath was drafted before Fowler because we had plenty of puck moving D and no crease clearers. The NYR head scout (Gord something) was interviewed during a game and said as much.

And those birds dying? See if they died over a rink the Devils happened to be playing in that day.

Golumki’s= major yum! I’m part Ukrainian so they have been a staple in my family for years. I can’t make them, but I’ve been known to wolf down 2 or 6 at a time. I can’t figure out why we called them by a Polish name, either. And now I want some.

Malkin Sucks. Fleury Sucks. Look how the Pens are doing without Sidney on the team. Malkin can’t carry a team. He is not an all star. Ryan Callahan in an ALL STAR and Cal Clutterbuck is an ALL STAR. This is the third year in a row he’s lead the leauge in Hits. If i was Sather I wouldve gone after him rahter than another wild card Euro-bum. With Him and Callahan teams would be scared to play the Rags.

When the Trade went down i automatically thought that Wolski-Artem-Gabo would be money and after a few games I think it will click. This team needs Callahan back BADLY. Playing with Dubi and Stepan that will be set which should take pressure off Feds-Boyle-Prust always having to be the go-to line. By the way Prust really needs to start finishing(he’s had open nets and golden chances the last couple of games). I’m curious what is going to happen with the Fourth line though because I cant think of a sensible line out of Zuc, Avery, Drury, Vinny and Christensen.

Mama, I did the same thing late last week with the updates and it screwed up my screen size. After fighting with it for an hour, I did a system restore to earlier in the week and everything went back to the way it was.

mickey, thanks…..I’m back to normal (computer-wise :) but can’t even get back to what was cool about the update, and still can’t find all the mail that disappeared….not happy. I have serious AOL anger. though I suppose the lesson is don’t hit update after midnight….